Matt O’Riley has revealed in a brilliant interview by Greg Taylor the biggest highlight in his football career so far. Taylor was playing the part of an interviewer in a promotional video that was giving the Celtic fans a chance to win tickets for the upcoming Scottish Cup Final against Inverness Caley Thistle.
O’Riley was the interviewee and when asked what the biggest highlight of his career was so far, the Danish u21 international was in no doubt that it was the move to Celtic.
O’Riley said [Celtic FC YouTube], “Probably just signing here [for Celtic], to be honest. It was a big change. It’s the first time I have properly come out of my comfort zone.
“I obviously went to MK Dons after Fulham. That was a big decision I had to make, leaving Fulham as well.
“But signing here was the biggest thing because it’s put me in a nice place.”
The brilliant rise of Matt O’Riley at Celtic
O’Riley has been an excellent addition to the Celtic squad by Ange Postecoglou. Signed in the 2022 January window, the midfielder made his league debut against Hearts in the 2-1 away at Tynecastle. O’Riley created an assist for what would eventually be a Giorgos Giakoumakis winner.
He made 20 appearances for Celtic in the second half of that season, scoring four goals whilst going on to collect a league and cup double.
This season, however, he has kicked on and is the only Celtic player to have appeared in every single one of our SPFL league fixtures. In fact, O’Riley has only missed one game all season. That was the 4-1 away win to Ross County in the last 16 of the League Cup.
The 22-year-old was also named Celtic’s Young Player of the Year this season after making 51 appearances for Celtic, scoring four goals and creating 13. These stats are all the more impressive when you consider that he spent nine of those games filling in for the injured Callum McGregor.
O’Riley has proven himself to be an integral part of Ange Postecoglou’s side and no doubt he will be central to Celtic making improvements in next season’s Champions League.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou reacts to Celtic duo’s Japan call-up with an amusing nod to World Cup snub
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